electronically operated hitch mounted wheelchair lifts have been available for a number of years and permit the user of a scooter, wheelchair or other mobility device to be mechanically lifted entered to an automobile or transportation.
A common probably associated with the use of hitch mounted wheelchair lifts is an automobile drivers inability to ascertain how far back the rear wheelchair lift protrudes from the back of the automobile. This results in a large number of accidents where the driver this judges distance and a wheelchair lift impinges upon a solid object causing damage.
It has also become common for automobile manufacturers to include a rear mounted proximity sensor or video camera to assist a driver in driving a car in reverse with out colliding with an object, unseen by the driver. Such proximity sensors and video cameras have become highly desirable features on an automobile. Unfortunately, the attachment of a rear mounted wheelchair lift frustrates the purpose of such devices because a proximity sensor may not take into account the distance between an object behind the car and a wheelchair lift that protrudes from the vehicle itself.
Further frustrating the use of proximity sensors or cameras with a wheelchair lift is the fact that wheelchair lifts typically translate between 2 or more configurations. For example, a wheelchair lift usually incorporates a platform onto which a wheelchair, scooter or other mobility device is rolled on to. Once a wheelchair is rolled onto the platform, it is lifted into the air for transport. However, when a wheelchair is not being transported, it is common for the platform to fold up into a more compact configuration. When I platform is horizontal. It occupies significantly more area than when it is folded up vertically. Any proximity sensor or camera mounted on the rear of an automobile does not take into account either configuration.
In view of the foregoing, there is a need to provide a proximity sensor that may be used in conjunction with a rear-mounted wheelchair lift for an automobile. Furthermore, it is desirable to provide a proximity sensor that may be used in conjunction with a rear-mounted wheelchair lift for an automobile that is effective for all the configurations of the wheelchair lift.